Letter: Money creates classroom confusion

In the March Education Reporter, a front-page headline read: "Common Core Developers Fail to Warranty Product." If the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers believe this is best for American students, why won't they stand behind the product?

Why didn't our state education department adjust our state standards? Two people, our governor and secretary of education, followed the Race to the Top money. The state never saw a dime, and we are stuck with the bill.

People were told that the NGA/CCSSO were designing standards that would give states and schools more local control. We gained 15 percent control for life skills education. That material is not on the Smarter Balance test, so why teach it? Curriculum will align with the Smarter Balance test. Is national curriculum the right choice for our demographics?

Students are suppose to give reasons to their answers. Which will be the correct answer? Are full sentences, correct punctuation and spelling required? Students have to give an answer a computer recognizes. Is that higher level thinking or frustration?

Technology is a useful tool, but we are teaching our next generation that they cannot function without a device in front of them. Computer test scores should not hold such a high value. The performance in the classroom is measured by the teacher. Many students learn through hands-on projects. Those projects cannot be measured by a computer test.

Students, parents and schools will NOT get any score this year. The Smarter Balance test is providing information for the consortium to set a baseline for school improvement. Our kids are pilot projects. One option would be to opt out of the Smarter Balance test. Schools need 95 percent of their students to participate in the Smarter Balance test or Title I funds are in jeopardy. Isn't the Elementary and Secondary Education Act suppose to prohibit the federal government from this type of action?

The United States Department of Education did not develop Common Core Standards or write the Smarter Balance test. They hold a stronger card, Title I funds. Money has created confusion in the classroom.